Molded box-toe.



J. W. HARNEY.

MOLDED BOX TOE. APFLIQGYATION FILED DEO.12,'1910.

991,299. Patented May 2, 1911.

JOHN W. HARNEY, F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOLDED Boxmon.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed December 12, 1910. Serial No. 596,983.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, JOHN W. HARNEY, a

' citizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in v Molded Box-Toes, of which the following is Tli 'is i'nvention relates to box toes for boots and shoes, and has for its Object the production as a new article of manufacture of a device of this class molded to fit any particular last, and having sufficient rigidity to retain it in place in the toe of the shoe, there'- by preventing it from collapsing or breaking down, so as to cause great discomfort to, the wearer of the shoe.

The device is particularly applicable to welt shoes, and in order to adapt it for this purpose it is provided at its lower end with an inwardly extending flange having a groove therein, in which the rib upon the insole is adapted to be positioned. The bend drawing and to the claims hereinafter given- Of the drawing: Figure 1 represents a perin the flange forming this recess or groove provides a shoulder between which and the welt of the shoe the upper is adapted to be interposed, thereby providing a means whereby'a single row ofstitches unites the .welt, the upper, the box toe, and the lining to the insole and secures them eflectively together. 1

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the spective ofv a box toe embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the toe portion of a boot or shoe showing said box toe applied thereto. Fig. 3 represents a transverse sectionof a portion of the same, drawnto-afi -erflargenlg, scale, showing thematic-for securing the 'welt,'the upper, the box toe, and the lining to the rib or lip formed upon the insole. Fig. 4 represents an inverted plan of the box toe, Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the same, the cutting plane being on line 5, 5 on Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 represents a transverse vertical section of the same, the cutting plane being on line 6, 6 on Fig. 5.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures ofthe drawlIl In the drawing, 10 represents the box toe,

usua'lmanner.

In the molding of the box toe that portion which is molded from leather or some simi lar flexible material to accurately fit the toe of any particular shape of last, the material having suiiicient rigidity to prevent its collapslng or breaking down when in the shoe, thereby causing discomfort to the wearer. Its rear portion 11 is chamfered off to a thin edge, as is customary in the usual-box toe. By molding the box toe itis quite evident that any irregular shape of last may be accurately conformed to, and when the box toe has been thus molded upon the last and dried thereon, it will retainits shape under all conditions.-

' In order to adapt the box toe for use in the manufacture of welt shoes, the lower end of the side 12 has extending inwardly there- 7 from the flange 13, which is .bent at a point intermediate the side 12 and the extreme edge 14 of said flange so as to form a recess or groove 15 therein. In the manufacture of the shoe this groove 15 is" adapted to fit over the rib or lip 16 formed upon the insole 17. In the process of making the shoe the insole 17 is first tacked to the last 18 with the rib or lip 1% on said insole extending outwardly. The lining 19, of the shoe isthen placed upon the last and extends over the edge of the insole. The box toe 10 is then placed over the lining on the toe portion of the last. The upper 20 is then placed in position and with its edge extending over the outer fiat portion of the flange 13 and against the outer shoulder 21 formed by the bent portion of. said flange forming the recess or groove 15. The welt 22 is then placed in position with its inner edge in contact. with the outer face of the edge of the upper 20 and then said welt 22, upper 20, box toe 10, and lining 19 are all united to the rib or lip 16 of the insole 17 by 'a row of stitches 23. The outer sole 24: may then be united to the welt 22 by a row of stitches 25 in the of the flange 18 between the recess or groove 15 and the edge 14 of the said flange, creased and laid flat, so that when in position within the shoe it will present no objectionable folds to annoy the. wearer as is often 'true in box toes formed on the last in the process of constructing the shoe. While box toes have been used molded from dlflerent materials, as far as known, no molded box toe has been used which is adapted to'bfe built into a welt shoe and sewed to the mner sole at the same time that the upper is being secured thereto.

Obviously, a box toe thus constructed makes a great saving of labor, as the shoemaker simply selects the required box toe for any given last and then places it upon the last during the manufacture of the shoe, while heretofore the shoemaker has been obliged to take a blank andv fit it over the last and secure the same to the last by tacks or other securing devices. All this labor is dispensed with where the present box toe is used. Moreover, it is self-evident that a toe accurately fitted over the insole and secured thereto by stitches will retain its shape much better than inshoes as ordinarily constructed. 7

It is believed that the operationand many advantages of the invention will be thoroughly understood without any furtherdescription.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a molded box toe having a flange projecting inwardly throughout its entire lower edgeprovided with a shouldered recess adapted to receive a rib formed on the inner sole.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a molded box toe having a flat portion extending inwardly from the lower end of its sides and provided with a groove therein.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a molded box toe having a flat portion extending inwardly from the lower end of its sides and provided with a shouldered portion adapted in the manufacture of a shoe to be positioned betweenftherib of the inner sole and the welt so that the three may be united by a single row of stitches.

Signed by me at 4 Post Ofiice Sq., Boston, Mass, this 26th day of November, 1910.

JOHN W. HARNEY. Witnessesz WALTER E. LOMBARD, NATHAN C. LoMBARn. 

